Athlete Spotlight:
Spirited Sarah

Wednesday, September 15, 1999

By Joanne Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Sarah Goldberg has had a very busy year. This past summer she traveled to Israel with a large group of family members to get a first hand look at her cultural roots and, not the least, to meet her 101-year-old aunt. Soon after the trip, she was busy playing basketball as part of the 1999 Maccabi Games held here in South Jersey at Cherry Hill locations, sponsored by the Betty and Milton Katz Jewish Community Center.

A world wide organization, the Maccabi Games tie in with the ideals of Zionism and symbolize Jewish excellence in sports, promoting mutual respect and sportsmanship. They are structured for Jewish youth aged 13 to 16-years-old, to participate in athletics as well as cultural and social activities. While many of the visiting athletes stayed at hotels, some also stayed with host families, one being the Goldberg household. Sarah found her team playing against her guests in one of the rounds. The rewards were many for Sarah and her teammates during the games. It was a great experience of fellowship and meeting kids from around the country, and best of all she and her team, representing the Katz Community Center, won a Bronze medal by defeating Metro West from North Jersey.

Sarah, a junior at Cherry Hill East, plays varsity volleyball in defensive positions with the school this year. Last year she carried a very full activity calendar with playing basketball and volleyball along with being a member in two singing groups. This year Sarah has chosen to take some of the technical skills she has gained from basketball and focus on volleyball but still divides her time with the singing groups. Music is very much a part of her life. Sarah sings soprano in the bell-choir and alto for the East Singers group. Last year's school musical was "Annie," and Sarah and her little sister, Karen, were both in the play as cast members and together they love the stage.

This year's participation in Maccabi Games was Sarah's first and last year, because of the age cap of 16. The experience gained from participation in the games has left her with great memories, but now it is time to focus on school. In her academics, second only to her music, she likes French best but is finding an interesting slant with the presentation style of this year's History teacher. She likes a diverse selection of music and has recently taken a liking the sounds of the "Dixie Chicks."

Photos by Art Redd